A second class merit was awarded to a team of special engineering, technology and installation with the General Armament Department of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA). Since it was set up in 1951, the team has contributed much to China's development in space technology and modernization of its military facilities.

A third class merit was won by an army station on the Sichuan-Tibet Highway, which has been fighting hardship and supplying over four million tons of necessities to Tibet in the past 48 years on a total journey that can be added up to 2.9 billion kilometers.

Three individuals winning first class merits were Zheng Zhongtang, a senior engineer with the PLA Lanzhou Military Area Command, Wang Cheng, a late officer with the PLA Chengdu Military Area Command, and Dong Yixin, a researcher with China Aerodynamics Research and Development Center.

A third class merit was awarded to Zang Kemao, a professor with the Armored Force Engineering Institute.

The four individuals were honored for their devotion in work or academic accomplishments.

(Xinhua News Agency April 10, 2003)